Cabinet having combined slidable top and drawers



S p 14, 1948. J.'K. WHEELOCK 2,449,433

CABINET HAVING COMBINED SLIDABLE TOP AND DRAWERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 29, 1944 Sept. 14, 1948.

Filed Nov. 29, 1944 J. K. WHEELOCK QABINET HAVING COMBINED SLIDABLE TOP AND DRAWERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 1 Juan/fa W/me/o'ck Sept. 14, 1948. J. K. wI-IEELOcK 2,449,433

CABINET HAVING COMBINED SLIDABLE TOP AND DRAWERS Filed Nov. 29, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet s Fig. 6.

SLIDING WIRE E AsI T FLOUR BIN SLIDING WIRE BASKET l' I 55* I E [/4 Ferns:

INVENTOR. c/uan/fa h. Whee/ac/r mfwx mqm Patented Sept. 14, 1948 7 NIT-m STATES PAT ENT ,OFFlCEJf:

' CABINET'HAQVING coMBINEDsLIDABLn 'ror AND DRAwERs Jane-a K. Wheelock, Pleasant Ridge, Mich. Application November 29,1944,seia1No.5s5,595 y L This invention relates to a kitchen utility unit.

In the present day kitchen there are few, if any,portable units which may be shifted for the convenience of the housewife.

It, is an object of the present invention to provide a portable unit which may be shifted around in much the same manner as a tea table. The unit is to contain all the necessary elements for certain cooking operation such as baking, for example, in which spices, flour, pans and other utensils areall .containedin the unit which is readily shiftable on caster wheels.

A primary object of the invention isto provide a utility unit which when'not in use presents a neat appearance in the kitchen but which may be transformed into a useful condition with allportions readily accessible by simple movements of the parts thereof. e i

Other objects and features of the invention including details of construction and design will be evident in the following description and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the cabinet as a Whole with the parts in closed position.

Fig. 2 illustrates the cabinet with the top working surface pulled forward to disclose storage compartments.

Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation with a portion in section showing the manner in which the relative parts are mounted.

Fig. 4 is a partial end elevation with sectional parts showing detail.

Fig. 5 is an additional detail of a portion of Fig. 3 on a larger scale.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation with the doors of the cabinet open.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of a portion of Fig. 6 showing the door arrangement.

In order to describe the utility cabinet more in detail, reference characters will be applied to the various parts as they are referred to. In Fig. 1 a cabinet is shown having a top I6, two drawers H and I2 directly below the top, and two doors I3 and [4 below the drawers. Casters I5 are also visible. The end of the cabinet shown in Fig. 1 has a wall portion l6 below top It] and a panel l! which forms a portion of a flour bin movable outward as shown in dotted lines.

With the parts as shown in Fig. 2 the top ID has been pulled forward on sides l6 and away from the back panel 20. It should be noted that the drawers l I and I! are moved forward 3 Claims. (Cl. 312150) a with the top. And disclosed behind the forwardly pulled top are wells 2|, 22, 23, 24, and 26 which are behind and at the level of the drawers; These wells are to be used forthe storage of such items as sugar, speciali'fiours, such as whole wheat or graham, extracts, spices, baking powder, salt, etc. The walls forming the wells 2i and 23 inclusive are preferablyformed as a unit so that they may be moved for cleaning purposes. i 1

In Figs. '3, 4, and 5 the details of the top mounting and the drawer mounting are disclosed. .The metal top 10 has an over-hanging portion 30 with a turnedin ledge 3| which cooperates with rollers 32 on wall [6. .A track 33 is supported on the top 30 adjacent wall- IE to serve as a supporting means anda guide track for the drawers ll and I2 which have rollers 34 to cooperate with the tracks. Drawers Ill and I2 will be used for utensils such as knives; forks, spoons, egg beaters, spatulas, etc. The drawers H and I2 are sup-ported at their inner sides by rollers 34 on tracks 33, the inner tracks 33 being also supported from the top panel lb.

The frame of the cabinet is made up of the rear panel 20, the side panel I6 which is above the flour bin, and the side panel 31 at the other end of the cabinet. The side panel I6 and the side panel 31 are connected by a horizontal panel 35 below the drawers II and I2. A corner post 36 connects panel 35 and the bottom of the cabinet.

In Fig. 6 the lower portion of the utility cabinet is illustrated. The flour bin behind panel H has a false bottom 40 with a back "wall 4|,

the entire unit being pivoted at point 42 so that the flour bin may be moved outwardly. This bin will be used for the storage of white flour which is used in larger quantities. In the same compartment with the flour bin are vertical compartments 45 used for the storage of cookie sheets, muifin tins, covers, and other relatively fiat kitchen articles. Two sliding wire baskets 46 and 41 mounted on rods 48 and 49, respectively, are used Lfor the storage of larger cook ing pans and baking pans.

In order to expose all of the lower units at the same time and still permit the flour bin to be open and readily accessible, a novel door arrangement is provided wherein door I 4 telescopes or slides within tracks on the inside of door l3, the latter being pivoted on hinges so that both doors may be swung 270 degrees to the position shown in Fig. 6. The tracks are shown at 56. There are also tracks or grooves in the cabinet referred to at 51 in Fig. 4 to receive the door I 4 in closed position. The door [4 may be provided with rollers 58 in Fig. 1 for more ready movement.

The operation of the utility unit will be evident from the above description. In the closed condition shown in Fig. 1 the unit may be easily moved by the housewife to any point in the kitchen where she wants to work; Thenaita may be readily-placed" in working condition. The first step is opening the flour bin H. The next step is the sliding of door [4 into door l3 and swinging the doors around so that they lie fiushagainst the end of the unit opposite from the flour bin Upon pulling the top 10 forward the drawers H and 12 will follow so they are'readily. available and the compartments 2| to 26 arelexposed. for the needed articles and ingredients.

It should be noted that when top lllqis. pulled forward, ample knee and toe room is provided under-the: top but the spaces behind, doors I I 3* and H;- are still readily available and accessible.

I claim;-

1. A7 kitchen utility cabinet comprising a supporting frame, a top--wall,.means on said top wall to form drawer slides, drawers hung from. said means and slidableunder.the-forwardpart of the top, wallleav-ing. free. space below the top wall at therearof thedrawers said' top wall being slida-ble on said frame to: a position forward of the frame,storagei well-s. immediately below the rear portion of the top wall-when it is in normal; closing, position and behind and at the l'evel. of: the drawers; said wells being exposed when the top wall is. shifted.

2. A kitchen utility: cabinet comprising a supporting frame. a top wall slidableon said: frame, meansforming storage wells in said frame immediately below said top: wall initsnormal position, drawer supporting means on the underside of saidtoprwall, drawers forward ofzandzat. the'level 4 of said wells and slidably mounted on the drawer supporting means whereby movement of said top wall to a position exposing said storage wells carries said drawers to a position in which they extend forwardly of said frame and are readily accessible from the forward edge of said top wall.

3. A kitchen utility cabinet comprising a supporting frame, rollers on said frame, a top wall having atrack'at each? of opposite edges to receive said rollers to support the top for sliding movement on said tracks, additional tracks on the bottom surface of said top wall each parallel tothe top supporting tracks, drawers supported by and movable with said top wall and means on said drawers cooperating with the additional tracks on the top wall for retaining the drawers in. slidable relation to the top, storage wells in said frame below the top wall and 'behind and at: the; level of the drawers, whereby forward movement of said top wall to a working position exposes said storage, wells. and carries said drawers to a position of easy access in-which they extend forwardly of the frame and. directly adjacent the forward. edge of the top wall.

JUANI'TA K. WHEELDCK.

REFERENCES" CITED ihe following references are: of record. in the 

